Coupling means for connecting horse-drawn vehicles to tractors



I June 27, 1944. H, w, BATKIN COUPLING MEANS FOR CONNECTING HORSE-DRAWNVEHICLES TQ TRACTORS Filed 001;. 15, 1941 l'iwenbz' H erf wlll'lanfBlfkm,

object to provide an improved construction 'Anappliance constructedaccording to this in- .port. I

Patented June 27, 1944 COUPLING MEANS FOR CONNECTING HORSE-DRAWNVEHICLES TO TRAC TORS England; assignor to V V F 3: 4 Claims. a (Cl. Theinventionjelatesito coupling means for connecting; to ,tractors thshafts of vehicles which are normally horse-drawn, and has for itsthereof. F

vention is. so arranged that, when in use, it is supported at itsforwardend by the shackle or connecting meansby which it is pivotallyand detachably connected to the tractor, while it is l supported as tothe' rest f its length by the shafts of the vehicle,- to which it alsogives sup- In carrying out the invention, two transverse members areprovided each having parts so air- 3 Iranged -th at they pitslsboth overand under the shafts.- For instance, the transverse members may consistof tubes passing under the shafts and each-having, adjustably clamped ateach of itsends, an inverted L-piece the horizontal arm go or Which'isadap'tedto pass over the'respective shaft.

The transversefnembem may be secured, at about their 'mid'points, toasingle longitudinal member which, atTits'fforwardend, has a down-:wardly eiitending' part carrying the shackle, or ..othericor'1nectingmeansfor connecting the appliance to the tractor] This shackle may beadjustably; clamped -to .-the said downwardl extending part.

One of the transverse members, preferably the forward member, may bepermanently secured to the longitudinal member, but the other transversemember is preferably adjustably clamped to the longitudinal member toadapt the appliance to different lengths of shafts.

The longitudinal member may be strengthened by suitable struts or stays;as may also the transverse member which is fixed to the longitudinalmember.

To keep the appliance in endwise relationship with the shafts, chainsconnected to the longitudinal member may be connected also to the usualdrag links on the shafts.

A convenient embodiment of the invention is described with reference tothe accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an appliance constructed according tothe invention, and showing also the shafts of a vehicle attached to theappliance.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the appliance shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation, and to a larger scale, of one ofthe inverted L-shaped vverse members.

Herbert William Batkin, near- Whitchurch,

Salopian Engineers,

Limited, Whitchurch, England Application October 15, 1941, Serial No;115,120 In Great Britain November 8, 1940 '280 ss.44 v V 4 V a 7bracketsclamped ,onione endor one of the trans- Figure 4, is a Viewoffthe bracket shownin Figure 1 and as seen looking in the, direction ofthe arrow of that figur e;,and,i:..,.

Figure 5 is aview in sideelevation, andto the sameiscale asFigure 3,;of,the cross clamp by I which the rear transverse, memberis adjustablyelampedto the longitudinal member. of the app ance. J 1 v "in :thisdrawin A indicates the coupling appliance as a whole and B, B, the twoshafts of a vehicle to which-the appliance is coupled. The appliancecomprisesalongitudinal tubular member C which is curved, or be t at itfo ward end to form a downwardly extending memberv c to which isadjustably clamped a shackle D for connection to the draw bar or otherdraught member of a tractor, this latter notbeing shown. Extending overthe horizontal portion of the member C and welded thereto is a tubularforward transverse member E. F isa slanting tubular member welded at itsrearward end to the member C at a point near the rearward end thereof,and welded at its forward end tothe downward part c of the member C.Between the sloping member F and the longitudinal member 0 there arenumerous strengthening stays indicated by the letterf.. .Thetransversemem'ber'Ejis braced to the lonsitudinalfmernber:byshort staysa and to the sloping 'member'F by longer stays e all these being weldedat their respective ends;

G is the rear transverse member, passing over the member C and beingadjustabl secured thereto by a cross clamp H, the latter being shown toa larger scale in Figure 5. This clamp allows for ready adjustment ofthe member G along the member C to suit different lengths of shafts. 0

Clamped near each end of the transverse member G is an inverted L-shapedbracket J having at its lower end an integral clamp 7 to engageadjustably on the member G. The bracket J has also a laterally extendingarm 7' which with the respective end of the member G forms a fork toembrace the respective shaft near its rear end. The adjustability of theL-shaped brackets J along. the member G is to adapt them to differentwidths of shafts.

K, K, are L-shaped brackets clamped to the are adjustable in a similarmanner along the member E also to suit different widths of shafts.

In order to restrain longitudinal movement 0.!

Having {fully the coupling means in relation to the shafts, two pairs ofchains M, M and N, N are provided. The chains M, M are permanentlyconnected to the longitudinal member C by closed hooks c and they aredetachably connected at their rear ends to the usual drag hooks m, mpermanently engaged with the usual drag link b, bon the shafts.

The chains N, N connect at their rear ends to a I D-link or U-piece Padapted to engage in oneof a number of notches q of a rack Q welded tothe member C towards the rear end thereof. By this means the chains canbe adjusted to take up undue slackness.

R is a bracket having notches s oneof which I advantageous wherethevehicle has only 2 \wheels as it is well adapted to'resist'thetendency vtof 'the shafts to move upwards or downwards. In such case theadjustability =of the bracket D up and down in relation to the part 0allows of the'load being brought into balance over the wheels. I a

described my invention what 'I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent is: 1. -In an appliance for connecting to-tractors, the shafts ofa vehiclewhich- 'is normally horsedrawn the combinationof connectingmeans for pivotally-and detachably' connecting the spaced 'shafts of thesaid vehicle 'to-a=tractor, means supporting the front-end'ofthe-appliance, tubular transverse members *adapted to pass under'theflshafts, inverted L=shaped brackets clamped 'to-theends' ofsai'dtubular members-and having portions adapted to pass over the shafts andgiving'slidable'support 'thereto, and flexible connectors'each'attachedatone end to the appliance and "at its other end adapted for connectionto the shafts.

2. i In an apphanc'e "for connecting to tractors,

flihe shafts of a vehiclewhichisfnormally horsedrawn, the combination ofmeans for pivotally and detachably connecting the spaced shafts of thesaid vehicle to a tractor, means affording a support for the front endof the appliance,

transverse members of the appliance, parts of i one end to the applianceand at its other end ,connectible to the shafts.

v 3. In an appliance for connecting, to tractors, the shafts of avehicle which is normally horsedraWn, the combination of means forpivotally and detachably connecting the shafts to a tractor,saidconnecting means supporting the front end of the appliance,transverse members of the appliance, parts ofsuch transverse members atthe ends thereof engageable over and under the shafts to afford aslidable connection therewith, a longitudinal member attached to saidtransverse members, one of said transverse members being clamped to saidlongitudinal member in a manner to allow of adjustment therealong, andflexible connectors each attached at one end to the appliance and at itsother end connectible to the shafts.

4. In'coupling means forconnecting normally, horse drawn vehiclestotractors, the combination of means for pivotally anddetachablyconmeeting the shafts to a tractor, said connecting meanssupporting the front end of the appliance, means for adjusting saidconnecting means as to height in relation to the front of the appliance,transversemembers of the appliance, parts of such transverse members "atthe ends thereof engageable over and under the shafts to afford aslidable connection therewith, a longitudinal member attached to saidtransverse members,

one of said transverse'membe'rs being clamped to said longitudinalmember in a manner to allowof adjustment therealong, and flexibleconnectors each attached at one end to the appliance and at its otherend connectible to the shafts.

HERBERT BATKIN-

